Lake Pyramid Fishing Trip 12/6/11

Yesterday I took the nephews on a trip to the lake on a fishing trip. Not sure what to expect, I would have been happy if one of us just caught one fish, but the outcome was much more. It was a total of ten fish and that doesn't mark the several fish that got away!

Uncle Steve: 18"
Harrison: 21.5"
James: 21.5" 19.5"
Me: 16" 20" 21" 22.5" 23.5" and a tui chub!

Now, I'm not keeping score or anything...

wait, YES I AM!!

 

Archery!

You may not have guessed from my videos, but I am a person with many hobbies and skills. One of those hobbies has always been archery. I love archery as well as bow hunting.

Compound bows have always been a favorite hobby of mine. Introduced to me by my father and my uncle at a young age, I learn to start shooting compound bows in my back yard. working my way up from a 30 pound (draw weight) martin compound bow, I now shoot a 70 pound Bowtech.

compound bows have been labeled 'cheating' to some because of how it's technology has made it easier and more efficient than using your wooden bow with wooden arrows.

A compound bow has a sight system that makes placing 100 yard shots possible the wheel design makes it faster and allows you to hold the string back for long periods of time. (let off) compound bows have a sight system usually involving multiple pins indicating different set yards starting from the top 20yrds to 30, 40, 50, and so on. this particular sight has an LED light so you can hunt later in the evening.

I learn as much as I can about this great hobby because the more I learn the more I enjoy it. I've learned to fletch my own arrows with custom turkey feathers and some 'cut on contact' broadheads make for a very effective hunting arrow.

After getting everything I need, Saving a bunch of money, and practicing a lot, I went with my father and a couple of my uncles on a hunting trip to Texas. We went to a hunting ranch in Del Rio called the Crystal Creek Ranch, where you can hunt various types of deer, ram and wild boar in about 1300 acres. I had a blast hunting this ranch for four days.

Bow hunting is a challenge compared to rifle hunting. It is in no way like sitting on a hill and shooting a deer half a mile away with a rifle. With a bow, you are up in a tree with every inch of you covered in camouflage. You are sent free sterilized because you sit and wait for the animal to pass 20 yards in front of you. These animals can sense better than you. You face the animal you harvest. The waiting is extensive. You have to be very still, quiet and patient, but the outcome is much better than any rifle hunt I've been on.

On this trip, I was able to hunt 4 wild boar, making it an excellent trip

In a few ways, bow hunting is a very humane way to harvest an animal. The animal is hit with a razor sharp projectile that passes through the vital organs at a speed of 300 feet per second. The arrow, in most instances, passes all the way through the animal. Usually, the animal will run off unaware of its mortal wound. Soon the animal will stop running, lie down and pass out out from the lost of blood. In my opinion, regardless of how graphic this sounds, I find it to be more humane than most other weapons used for hunting, making bow hunting my favorite way to hunt.

After a certain point, I felt like I've learned all I could about compound bows, so I became interested in recurves. My father gave my a bow from my uncle Mike, and I soon became hooked.

Recurve bows are a very simple, but more challenging way to shoot. people take pride in shooting a bow and hitting a target with instinctive skills rather than sights. People interested in this hobby take pride in making their own arrow shafts and fletching them with hand cut turkey feathers. I found this to be a fun part of archery. These particular feathers are macaw parrot feathers.

With a few hay bails and a couple foam targets, an archery range easy to set up in the back yard.
Over all, this is a hobby worth taking up.

It's believable, but it's a photoshop.